More about Bern
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My name is Bernadette Fisers (pronounced Fisher - it's Latvian). I am an Australian Mum and a Hair and Makeup artist. I grew up about an hour outside of Melbourne in a country town called Dandenong, which at the time was a fairly tough neighbourhood. It wasn't unusual for kids to take knives and nun-chuckers to school for use in fights on the school oval. Plus of course, the absolute requirement of smoking in the toilets - lol. I'm one of 7 children, second youngest of 4 girls and 3 boys in fact.
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I've always been determined, that determination leading me to start work at a very early age. My first job at 12 was setting my elderly next door neighbours purple hair, it never looked better and I was beside myself with the $5 I earned. I got a 'real' job at the age of 14 working part time for a Hair Salon sweeping up floors, skating there and back on my home-made skateboard. By that time I was earning $15 a week and thought I was rich. I quickly bought all of the junk food that we could never afford at home and began stuffing myself, mostly not sharing with my siblings. I was tired of sharing everything, including my undie drawer. It's no wonder I've had a lifelong obsession with nice underwear and food.
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Skin forward ten years and my career as a Makeup artist was flying, I travelled all around the world working on many famous faces, advertising campaigns and fashion shows. My weight and related health problems really came to a head after I had my daughter. It just got completely out of control at close to 130kg (287lbs) with pre-diabetes, hypertension and a fatty liver. My doctor was freaking out. Thanks to a New Years Day bet with friends as to who could lose the most weight the fastest. I finally found an end to all of my agonizing and self loathing that I had been putting myself through.
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Once I had dropped the weight quickly all the Mums at the school pick up would ask me what I had done. I would write on sticky notes, homework and any other paper available the guideline to my rules. Eventually I decided to write a book, something that anyone could afford, the cutest damn little book that would have helped me when I was out of control and didn't know where to turn.
After putting out my first book, I realized how closely happiness and weight loss are tied for me. I felt so incredibly happy because I had taken back control of my life. It made me reflect on how similar we all are in what makes us feel good. I decided to write another book, because I believe that health and happiness go hand in hand.
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All of this writing lead me to develop the idea for my largest project, a book that I felt an absolute compulsion to write. It is called In Your Face – it’s my fourth book and by far the largest project I have ever undertaken. I’m a beauty insider, but I’m sick to death of woman all around the world believing the bullshit that is sold to them by cosmetic companies. I want them to know what works and what never will. I want woman to understand that what we see in magazines and advertising is not real – not even close. We all need to feel better about ourselves and In Your Face gives an insiders guide to cosmetics and skincare that is relatively unknown outside of the fashion and beauty world.
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I guess when looking back at all of my books – I’m about empowering woman and if I can even make a small yet positive difference in your life then I’m happy. I wish you the best life possible. Bern.
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